Tamper evident container closures are not new per se. In almost any product which is intended to be consumed or otherwise in contact with humans, either internally or externally, there is a desire to package the product so that there is a visual indicia of the product having been opened. This will alert the user to possible tampering and/or opportunities for spoilage.
Plastic shrink wrapping of the closure and cap has not met with any significant success in the consumer market because of the difficulty in removing the seal as well as the need for removing bits and pieces of shrinkwrap plastic from the container. One particular class of goods which are particularly susceptible to tampering and/or spoilage when a seal is not complete are the containers in which a cap is attached to the nozzle of a container by a screw type cap.
A variety of prior art devices have been proposed which include the use of additional bands as part of the screw on cap, such that the removal of the cap will cause a tamper evident band to become detached from the cap but remain on the container. Typically, soft drinks are packaged in this manner. Accordingly, when it is desired to remove the cap, the user simply turns it in the direction to unscrew the cap and the tamper evident band is prevented from moving axially by reason of an interengaging rib, bead or flange. As torque is applied to the bridges connecting the tamper evident band to the skirt, fracture allowing the closure to separate from the band occurs and the closure is removed. The separated band demonstrates that the package has once been opened or possibly tampered with. When the cap is replaced, the tamper evident band is still on the container although it is no longer attached to the cap. The tamper evident band remains, being a detriment to appearance and aesthetics.
One method for maintaining tamper evident characteristics is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,615. In this patent, a fractural tear band is provided which can be removed once and which then identifies that the contents may have been exposed to access. This method, however, does away with the screw cap closure design and relies upon a cap which can be pried upwardly. This design is highly effective in providing tamper evidence, but again, does not effectively maintain the appearance of the container. In addition, there is no separate functional component or components which serve to protect the integrity of the seal, particularly when the container is used over a significant period of time. For example, toothpaste tubes and other similar products have a cap which is removed once or more every day over a relatively long period of time. It is desirable that the freshness of the contents be maintained by sealing the tube when the cap is on the tube. Nevertheless, there is a desire for a tamper evident feature, which, when it is removed, will not adversely affect the appearance and aesthetics of the tube.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved container assembly for a cap and tube device. It is another object of the present invention to provide a cap and tube device with a tamper evident feature which permits the maintenance of the appearance of the product after the tamper evident feature has been removed. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an assembly which seals the cap and tube to protect the contents of the tube both before and after the tamper evident feature has been removed. Other objects will appear hereinafter.